FaultScore

Ford F-250 SD seat belt problems

46 of the 9,504 complaints filed about the Ford F-250 SD are about the seat belts — 0% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2001.

46

Complaints

0%

Share of all complaints

5

Crashes

0

Fires

Seat Belts complaints by model year

1999 F-250 SD 3 6.5%

Median failure at 182,333 miles

2000 F-250 SD 3 6.5%

Median failure at 65,000 miles

2001 F-250 SD 14 30.4%

Median failure at 126,000 miles

2002 F-250 SD 5 10.9%

Median failure at 128,621 miles

2004 F-250 SD 2 4.3%

Median failure at 35,500 miles

2007 F-250 SD 2 4.3%

Median failure at 26,025 miles

2008 F-250 SD 3 6.5%

Median failure at 20,250 miles

2009 F-250 SD 1 2.2%

Median failure at 30,507 miles

2011 F-250 SD 1 2.2%

Median failure at 32,500 miles

2012 F-250 SD 1 2.2%

Median failure at 7,000 miles

2016 F-250 SD 2 4.3%
2017 F-250 SD 2 4.3%
2019 F-250 SD 1 2.2%

Median failure at 16,000 miles

2020 F-250 SD 2 4.3%
2022 F-250 SD 1 2.2%
2023 F-250 SD 2 4.3%
2024 F-250 SD 1 2.2%

What owners said

2020 Ford F-250 SD Fairview, TX

SEAT BELTS

Left rear seat belt buckle or system failed causing a fault in the Airbag/Restraint system. The fault initially happened in June of 2025 with about 50k miles on the vehicle. I took it to a dealer who told me the buckle was not available and the whole system needed to be replaced for over $1500. Vehicle seldom has anyone in the back seat but that is where my children sit. Looking at posts on the internet, this seems to be a common enough problem that this should be taken care of under recall or customer service warranty.

NHTSA complaint #11743890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 Ford F-250 SD Edmond, OK

SEAT BELTS

Rear passenger seatbelt came UNSECURED from the rear seat mounting bracket. Unknowingly ENDANGERED my child by becoming dislodged therefore leaving her WITHOUT any restraint mechanism in the event of a crash! The incident happened at evening after hours and NOT been reported to manufacturer, dealership, law enforcement, or any other as of present. There were no warning signs or indicators other than the safety belt just freely coming up into her hand when we parked and she unbuckled.

NHTSA complaint #11725974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2024 Ford F-250 SD Hutto, TX

SEAT BELTS

Seat Belt retractor would not allow me to extend seatbelt to wear it on 2 occasions in the last month

NHTSA complaint #11654218 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 Ford F-250 SD Baton Rouge, LA

SEAT BELTS

Instrument tech here. I Checked all fueses. Ran wire traces and found no brakes in wiring. Faulty seatbelt pertitioners.This should be a recall.

NHTSA complaint #11653402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 Ford F-250 SD Alexandria, KY

SEAT BELTS

I have a safety concern on my 2023 Ford 250 SuperDuty Pickup. The front passenger seatbelt indicator does not engage when a person sits in the seat.   The other 4 seats (front driver & 3 back seats) in the vehicle engage as soon as a person sits in the seat showing the seat red in the on the dash until the seatbelt is engaged and then turns green with a check mark on it.   When a person sits in the front passenger seat the seat does not light up on the dashboard like there is no one sitting in the seat.  Once the seatbelt is clicked in, the seat then turns to green with a check mark and then if the seatbelt is unclicked the seat will turn red. I took the vehicle in to be looked at.  The Ford Dealership put in a new part and it reacted the same way.  They then said that they checked and the seat was working as designed and there was no issue.  I asked them to confirm that the airbags would still engage.  They would not confirm that.  I then called Ford's Hotline with my concerns, they said based on what they could see, the airbags would still engage. I feel that all the seats should react the same way and if a person is sitting in that front seat and doesn't use the seatbelt, the vehicle doesn't recognize that a person is in the seat.  And if so, possibly the airbags do not work.

NHTSA complaint #11649864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Ford F-250 SD Vacaville, CA

SEAT BELTS

Water leaking inside on the windshield during heavy rain. All across the top. Headliner damp. Rear passenger side seat belt latch bolt keeps coming undone.

NHTSA complaint #11643274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Ford F-250 SD Hope Mills, NC

SEAT BELTS

While driving the morning of 13 Jan 2025 my Airbag sensor light on the dashboard illuminated. Shortly after that me and my wife smelled smoke in the vehicle cabin and then we heard a loud explosion and the seatbelt instantly tightened around my chest and waist. It was after I was able to stop safely and research the incident that I realized my drivers side “pretensioner” detonated while I was driving.

NHTSA complaint #11635741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 Ford F-250 SD Pinedale, WY Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS

I was in a really bad accident nd went off n embankment. My chest hit the steering wheel md broke my sternum. My seatbelt also didn’t do it port by locking me in place and let me hit forward. Everyone at the scene. Could not believ the airbags didn’t deploy and the seatbelt didn’t help more. I am blessed and very fortunate to be alive!! Both doors on passenger side and driver side are hard to open . The damage where the car hit me was in the front.

NHTSA complaint #11559664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2016 Ford F-250 SD North Port, FL

SEAT BELTS

Drivers side seat belt will not click in and I believe that is a safety problem

NHTSA complaint #11554503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Ford F-250 SD at 16,000 miles Jacksonville, FL

SEAT BELTS

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELTS STAYING LATCHED AND THEY WILL NOT HOLD THE CAR SEATS IN PLACE, I HAVE 2 SMALL GRANDCHILDREN THAT RIDES IN MY VEHICLE AND IT'S NOT SAFE FOR THEM TO BE IN MY VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. THIS OCCURED BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND CONTINUES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING.

NHTSA complaint #11289744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2017 Ford F-250 SD Charlotte, NC

SEAT BELTS

FORD SENT NOTICE OF RECALL, BUT HAS NO SOLUTION AS OF THIS DATE OR A TARGET TIMEFRAME FOR RESOLUTION.

NHTSA complaint #11042511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 Ford F-250 SD Tucson, AZ

SEAT BELTS

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT COMES UNBUCKLED WITHOUT THE LATCH BEING TOUCHED WHILE DRIVING. THIS RESULTS IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION WHERE THE SEAT BELT ISN'T PROVIDING ANY SAFETY AND IT ALSO REQUIRES TWO HANDS TO RE-BUCKLE IT TAKING MY HANDS OFF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING IN MY DRIVEWAY, ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING SOON AFTER I BOUGHT THE TRUCK USED ON NOVEMBER 10, 2004.

NHTSA complaint #10991926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Ford F-250 SD at 167,261 miles Springfield, MO

SEAT BELTS

THE SEAT BELTS COME UNBUCKLED WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS TO THE DRIVE'S SIDE MORE OFTEN THAN PASSENGER SIDE. THE BELT COME UNDONE ON HIGHWAY, IN TOWN, JUST STARTING OUT OR AFTER AN HOUR THERE ISN'T A WARNING BEFORE IT HAPPENS.THE SPEED OF THE TRUCK ALSO DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BUT IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENT NOW. IT STARTED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO BUT IT IS GETTING WORST.

NHTSA complaint #10969530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Ford F-250 SD at 40,000 miles Montgomery, TX Crash

SEAT BELTS

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD 250 ON A SLICK ROAD WHEN A PICK UP STOPPED SHORT IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME HITTING THE REAR END OF THE PICK UP APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MPH. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT ALLOWED ME TO SLIDE UNDER THE BELT CAUSING MY KNEES TO HIT THE DASH. OTHER THEN GOOD BRUISES AND MILD SORENESS I WAS FINE. THE OTHER PERSON WAS FINE AS WELL. MY SEAT BELT DID NOT ENGAGE AND I AM WONDERING WHY MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE GRILL AND RADIATOR WERE DAMAGED?

NHTSA complaint #10763419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Ford F-250 SD at 137,243 miles Tacoma, WA

SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD F-250 SD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT BELT WOULD NOT ENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,243. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10744571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Ford F-250 SD at 7,000 miles Aztec, NM

SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-250 SD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. THE OCCUPANT WAS ABLE TO SECURE OUT OF PLACE WITH THE SEAT BELT FASTENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD ONLY RETRACT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED OR AN IMPACT OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

NHTSA complaint #10735163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 Ford F-250 SD at 149,000 miles Albuquerque, NM

SEAT BELTS

FOR ABOUT 7 MONTHS, MY SON HAS BEEN DRIVING THE 2001 F250 SD UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY INSTANCES WHERE THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT HAS UNLATCHED ON ITS OWN. IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN BACK TO FORD DEALERSHIP ON 3/7/03 UNDER RECALL 01S21 SEATBELT. "BUCKLES WERE INSPECTED, OK AS PER 01S21, NO REPAIRS NEEDED." WE WERE CHARGED $27.16 FOR THE INSPECTION. TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO DEALERSHIP TODAY (5.27.15). THEY HAVE NO ADVICE FOR US. THERE ARE MANY OPEN COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. I'VE SEEN THE REPORTS OF MANY INJURIES ALREADY.

NHTSA complaint #10721763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 Ford F-250 SD at 192,000 miles Montevallo, AL

SEAT BELTS

REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAS BROKEN LATCHING MECHANISM WITHIN FEMALE BUCKLE. THIS ITEM IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. SEAT BELT NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER ON A 14 YEAR OLD VEHICLE ?

NHTSA complaint #10715035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 Ford F-250 SD at 200,000 miles Montevallo, AL

SEAT BELTS

DRIVER SEAT BELT COMES UNLATCHED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE SEAT BELTS, BUT MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10715033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Ford F-250 SD at 52,000 miles Vineland, NJ

SEAT BELTS

AT 52000 MILES ENGINE STARTED MAKING TAPPING NOISE? DRIVER SEATBELT NOT RETRACTING. FRONTEND SHIMMY AT SPEEDS OF 45 TO 65 MPH.

NHTSA complaint #10637339 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Ford F-250 SD problems